Spain: Epiphany in Valencia

January 2020

All about timing...

I had just spent a week in Morocco and enjoyed it. In fact, it exceeded my expectations completely. From Tangier, I found a budget flight to Valencia (a city in Spain I had not yet visited). I planned to stay a few days to explore the city and the region.

Unfortunately, I returned on the eve of Epiphany. I totally blanked on the fact that although in Spain December 25 is celebrated as Christmas, Epiphany in early January is the "main holiday event" for the country. I was arriving for the biggest celebration in Spain - unprepared.

Getting into downtown (and right by the hotel) was a snap by metro. Unfortunately, I exited across the street from the hotel and a major parade had closed down the street (and it was night). I was not the only person facing the issue, there were several people who needed to re-enter the station and exit on the other side. Then started an epic drama of wanting to enter the Valencia metro without a ticket. A group of us showed our recent tickets to the staff and pointed across to the exit we wanted (we could see it!). At first we got "absolutely NO". Finally, they relented and permitted us to walk across.

Although I understood the need for following rules, we were all clearly tourists and first timers in the city. Even if we had been trying to scam them for a free ride (we weren't), did they really care? Why would a small group of people with suitcases suddenly demand free passage on the metro? In normally "easy-going" Spain I was shocked at how rigid the metro staff were with us.

I was also tired from all the traveling - it was evening and I just wanted to get into bed.

Finally, we made it across (with a police escort). I located and checked into the hotel. I had a good sleep - no worries, a minor drama. I was back in Spain.

The next morning I woke to the entire city being shut down - not so great for finding breakfast, however, in the sunny weather it was a photographer's dream. I could literally stand in the middle of any street to get photo angles that on a normal day would have been impossible. I told myself "lemonade from lemons" - not really.

Unfortunately, the timing of the visit was simply bad - many places to eat and visit were closed for a few days (just the timing of my stay).

Lesson learned - pay attention to local holidays. They can create havoc in travel.